Derek Llambias quit as Newcastle United’s managing director as he was uneasy
with the appointment of Joe Kinnear as director of football and the amount
of power he would hold.

Although Llambias made no reference to the appointment of Kinnear in his resignation statement, The Daily Telegraph has been told the two things are linked.

Llambias had been under pressure from owner Mike Ashley following last season’s dismal campaign and went on holiday when he was told Kinnear was to take control of the football side of the business. Kinnear is now the most senior figure at the club in the day-to-day absence of owner Ashley and it is difficult not to conclude Llambias has left as he feels a mistake has been made.

“I have had an incredible journey during my five years at the club, including some challenging times,” said Llambias on the club’s official website. “I will reflect with great fondness on my time in the North-East and, in me, Newcastle United have a lifelong supporter.”

Llambias’s exit, after doing so much to make the club financially self-sufficient, also leaves manager Alan Pardew in a vulnerable position as he has lost his main ally in the boardroom.

However, Pardew intends to stay and given the new management structure, in which he answers directly to Kinnear, a chance to work.

Although he is wary of being undermined by Kinnear, who will be Ashley’s eyes and ears on the training ground, and will not want any interference in team selection or tactics, Pardew remains committed to a job he has held for 2½ seasons.

Pardew, who was aware Ashley was considering appointing a director of football, but had no idea who, has finally met Kinnear and passed on his transfer targets to his new boss, who will now begin the process of trying to sign them.

Aston Villa striker Darren Bent is high on the wish list and that deal will be the first real test of Kinnear’s supposed recruitment skills. Villa are looking for £8 million for the England striker, although Newcastle had valued the 29-year-old at only £6 million.

For now, all the 51-year-old can do is hope Kinnear sticks to his word and leaves match-day matters up to him, while quietly working to bring in the players he and chief scout Graham Carr have asked for.

Like everyone associated with the club, Pardew was alarmed by Kinnear’s behaviour in a succession of interviews in which he delivered a series of false boasts, insulted fans for criticising him and repeatedly mis-pronounced the names of Newcastle’s players. That has led to a request for Kinnear to stop courting media publicity because of the embarrassment it has caused.

Pardew, who has seven years remaining on his contract and believes he is entitled to all of that in compensation if he is sacked, remains shy of talking enthusiastically about Kinnear’s arrival and his only public comment has been to the Newcastle Chronicle in which he said: “I’m staying to lead United back up the Premier League table.”

Pardew remains on the at-risk list of Premier League managers, but for now he stays and will report to Kinnear as told.